Governor McAuliffe presented 15 awards to individuals and announced significant veteranhiring milestones made by V3-certified companies. Since 2010, over 80,000 veterans have been added to Virginia’s labor force – more than all other states combined.

“The V3 program is a true example of what we can achieve when the public and private sectors work together for the good of our Commonwealth,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I am so proud to announce that we met my goal of hiring 11,000 veterans through the V3 program 900 days ahead of schedule, and that today we are raising the bar to hire 20,000 before the end of my term. It is an honor to work with these companies to leverage the unique training and talents of our veterans so that they can lead happy and productive lives in a new Virginia economy.”

Making veterans a part of the new Virginia economy is a top priority for Governor McAuliffe. To ensure that veterans have the opportunity to find challenging, well-paying jobs that capitalize on their talent, skill, and drive, the Governor in 2014 (via Executive Order 23) charged the Virginia Department of Veterans Services to ensure that V3-certified companies had hired 11,000 veterans before the end of his term.

“More service members are leaving the military now than at any time in recent history,” Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John C. Harvey, Jr. said. “Businesses have a great opportunity to capitalize on these highly trained men and women leaving the military to help their businesses grow and succeed. The V3 Program helps Virginia companies implement solutions for filling urgent work force demands with a very high-quality supply of talented veterans.”

To recognize the significant commitment of Virginia businesses to hiring veterans, Governor McAuliffe presented fifteen awards to companies in two categories: the V3 Governor’s Award recognized companies for the total number of veterans hired in Virginia, while the V3 Perseverando award recognized companies for their perseverance in making Virginia the most veteran-friendly state in the nation in which to work.

“Veterans have the knowledge, skills, and ability to help Virginia businesses succeed,” said Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner John L. Newby II. “We are honored to recognize these 15 companies at today’s ceremony, and are excited to see even more great things from more great companies in the future.”

The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program is a Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Veterans Services Program. V3 helps employers understand, design, and implement nationally recognized best practices in recruiting, hiring, and retaining veterans. For more information about the V3 Program, contact Andrew Schwartz at Andrew.Schwartz@dvs.virginia.gov or visit us athttps://www.dvsv3.com/.